Crockpot Pot Roast

 I love my crockpot and with two BUSY boys I use it a lot!  Quick and easy recipes are a must around here.  Laurie, from Laurie's Life posted this crockpot pot roast and it is my all time favorite roast recipe! It is so yummy and perfect for winter time.  

Get a tender chuck pot roast and place it in the crockpot on low.  

Add one packet of Hidden Valley Ranch mix. Sprinkle it over the roast.

Add one packet of McCormick Aux Jus Gravy Mix or you can use a brown gravy mix.  Sprinkle packet over the roast as well.  

The place a stick of butter on top of the roast.  

Let the roast cook at least 8 hours and DO NOT ADD WATER!!!

Serve with your favorite roasted potatoes and carrots and enjoy!

Change

I've gone back and forth about writing this post.  Sometimes you don't always know what is going on in someone's life.  I thought it might help anymore who is struggling with a career change or just life change in general.  

 

Matt has been a mechanical engineer for seven years.  For the last two years he has really struggled with being happy at his job and trying to figure out what his passion is.  He has always been really good at math and science (which I guess is part of how he ended up in engineering).  

Last January Matt decided he wanted to become a certified personal trainer!  After lots of studying he became a NASM certified personal trainer!  He loves working out and loves helping people.  Fitness is a true passion for him and I'm excited to see where it will take him.

Well that's not the end of the story!!

 He was still struggling with engineering and didn't find fulfillment in his job.  After a loooong search including career counseling, talking and shadowing professionals, and lots of prayers Matt has decided to pursue a masters degree in accounting.  Since I've know Matt i knew he would be great at anything in finance.  He does all our bills and taxes...and loves it!  I LOATHE it!  I hate the "B" word - Budget! Ugh! I'm not very good at staying on a budget but with our new reality It's not a choice.  

Matt started classes yesterday.  It's hard to believe he's a student again.  He said he feels old, haha!  He is in a two year program!  That's really not a long time when you put it in perspective and are doing what your passionate about.   And Matt is passionate about finances/taxes and helping others!

Of course this new adventure brings a lot of changes to our daily lives!  I'm used to Matt being at work all day and met and the boys doing our thing.  It will take a little getting used to but I'm sure with a little time we will get in our new groove.  I will say I enjoyed seeing him this morning at breakfast (he used to be gone to work by 6am).

I'm excited for him to chase his dream and so thankful God has opened the doors for him.  My prayer is that he would have confirmation that this is God's plan for him!  Matt is a great student so I know he will work hard and make great grades!

Happy Birthday Nana

Happy, Happy Birthday to my sweet momma today!  

She is the sweetest momma and the best nana!  We love you so much and wish you could be here to celebrate!  

Family Dinner

 

Last night we went out to dinner with Matt's family.  His step brother Matthew and his girlfriend Hannah were in town visiting.  His other step brother Michael moved here with his girlfriend Melinda back in July to attend medical school at Univ of Cincinnati.  We are glad we get to see him more often.     

All thirteen of us at dinner.  Papau, Ya-ya, Nana Nicki, Erin and Brad, Michael and Melinda, Matthew and Hannah.   I can't believe there are this many of us.  

Aunt Erin and Colton.  The boys did amazing considering the service took a long time and it was past their bedtime.  We were there for two and a half hours and there were no meltdowns or tantrums.  Woohoo!  Success!  And everyone ate their dinner! Oh yeah!

Colton getting some Ya-ya love!

Nana Nicki, Ryan and Uncle Matthew

The restaurant had a guy playing guitar near our table so that provided some great entertainment for the boys.  They were glued to it.

Colton coloring next to Papau.  Colton did so well and enjoyed making everyone smile.  This boy knows he's cute!  It was a fun night and we can't wait for Matthew and Hannah's next visit.

Books and Brothers

 

I mentioned earlier in the week that Matt has been sick with the flu since Sunday.  Fun times! Yeah, not fun taking care of two wild boys by myself and nursing a sick husband.  Thankfully, Matt is pretty self sufficient when he's sick but still it's hard when you have a man down.  

Santa brought this truck sticker book to Ryan for Christmas and all he wants to do lately is look at the book and tell me what each truck is called.  I don't think he even cares that they are stickers.  He just likes looking at them and pointing out what they are.  The other night he was telling daddy all about the trucks.  

This morning I took the boys to a indoor playground/bouncy house place.  Preschool doesn't start back up til next week so we needed to get out of the house and go somewhere besides the gym.  

Ryan had an absolute blast!  He loved it.  Colton had fun too but I'm convinced he is just at a hard age for this type of activity.  He is too small for the bouncy houses and he can play on the playground equipment some but I'm paranoid my baby is going to fall or get hurt.  Regardless, it was fun, just not sure we will be back in the near future.  

On the way home the boys were getting hungry for lunch and Colton started fussing.  The kid really only gets fussy when he's hungry or sick.  I knew he was starving and they had both worked up quit the appetite.  So Colton started fussing and Ryan reached his sweet little hand over to his brother to tell him it's ok, we are almost home.  Immediately Colton stopped and started laughing.  How sweet are they?  Seriously!  They can be fighting and tackling each other one minute and sweet as pie the next.  Oh I love it.  

This is Colton's cheese face.  He is so funny.  I pull out the camera and this is the face he gives me.  Cracks me up.  Oh I just love him!  This boy loves books!  Ryan didn't really start to like books til after he turned two, maybe closer to 3.  

Colton loves to bring me a book, crawl up in my lap and listen to me read a book.  He loves picture books.  Sometimes when he gets up in the morning, earlier than I would like, I will just sit with him in his chair in his room and look at books with him.  He loves it.  I hope he always has a love for books and reading.  

The boys playing with their favorite Santa toys this year - cars and trucks!  Of course they mostly fight over them but I'm thrilled to have a house full of matchbox cars and dump trucks.  Wouldn't want it any other way!

Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

For Christmas this year I decided to try my hand at homemade cinnamon rolls.  I've never made them before but have always wanted to try it.

I LOVE pioneer woman and have heard amazing things about her cinnamon rolls but I was worried making the dough would take a while.  So I found this "cheater" recipe that uses frozen roll dough.  I made them a few days before Christmas.  Since my family was in town I knew they would love them for breakfast.

So I rolled out my dough, spread the butter and mixture of sugar and cinnamon.  I rolled them tightly like the instructions said but as I was placing them in the pan I thought "wow, these are REALLY big".  Then I realized that I rolled them from the short end instead of the long end!  Opps!  These things made Grands cinnamon rolls look small.  The most important thing was they tasted amazing!!!

The first day I made them I used the icing on the recipe but the second day I used pioneer woman's and it was fabulous.  I would definitely use her icing next time. These were SO good and yummy.  I've been thinking about them the last few days.  I need to make them again soon and freeze some for later.

So here is the recipe:

Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

(recipe from www.deepsouthdish.com)

Ingredients:
- 1 package of frozen dinner rolls or 1 loaf of frozen bread dough (like Rhodes), thawed to room temperature
- 1/2 cup of melted butter
- 1 cup of sugar with 2 heaping tablespoons of cinnamon

Directions:
Sprinkle a bit of flour onto the counter, and gently knead the thawed dough together to form one ball.  Flatten and using a rolling pin, roll into a long rectangle, moving the dough around to make sure it doesn't stick.  Pour the melted butter over the surface of the dough and using your hand, smear it all over the dough, almost to the edges.

Sprinkle the dough generously with cinnamon sugar mixture and roll into a long roll as tightly as possible.  Cut that into half them cut each half evenly into slices about 1-2 inches thick.

Place the rolls in a well buttered cake pan, cover very loosely with plastic wrap that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray, and put in warm spot to rise.

Bake in a preheated 350 degrees oven for about 25 minutes or until lightly browned.

Eighteen Months

COLTON!!!!

You are 18 months old as of last week on the 27th!!! I can hardly believe it.  You will be two in just 6 short months!  You are growing SO fast.

You weigh 21.5 pounds.

You wear mostly 18month clothes

You wear size 4.5 show

You wear size 4 diaper

You are starting to act more like big boy and not a baby anymore.  You follow Ryan around all day and you want to do everything he does.

You ADORE Ryan and think he is just the greatest.  You laugh at everything he does.  Ya'll definitely fight a lot but you have so much fun playing and laughing together.   Ryan loves to make you laugh and you love to make him laugh when he's in timeout.  Ryan always makes sure you are ok and taken care of.  He loves you so much!

You have such a funny personality.  You can be a real character.  You jabber all day long.  I love to smile and laugh.  You make us laugh and smile all day.  You are so sweet and loving.  You love to snuggle and would love to be held all day long.  You can play by yourself but you would rather be with momma.

You are SO busy and don't slow down all day.  You are into everything and can make a mess in a millisecond.  You are fast and curious and so smart.

You are a rockstar sleeper!  You take a 3-4 hour afternoon nap and sleep usually 12-13 hours at night.

You are a great eater and will eat almost anything.  So thankful for that!

You aren't saying many words but I can tell they are on the tip of your tongue.  You definitely are receptive of words they just doesn't come out the same way.  You say 6-7 words right now.

You have some wave and curl in your hair.  Sometimes it can be pretty wild especially after naps.  With two parents who have wavy and curly hair you don't stand a chance of straight hair.  

Colton you are such a blessing to our family and we couldn't imagine life without you.  You daddy and I love you so much.  Time is flying by so quickly.  I hope you always know that you are so loved and prayed for every day!